Little Advent
Orthodox Advent
The Advent Before Advent, Marking 40 Days Till Christmas
About Little Advent
Little Advent is for those who simply can’t wait any longer. Falling exactly 40 days before Christmas, it’s the unofficial pre-game to the official season, a joyful permission slip to begin indulging early. By mid-November, stores are flashing with tinsel, grocery aisles hum with carols, and resisting the pull of the season starts to feel pointless. So don’t. Little Advent invites you to unwrap the season early. Go ahead, cue up your favorite holiday albums, sneak a few gifts into the cart, and begin your countdown with a pyramid of gingerbread cookies (one a day until Christmas). It’s a holiday for the unashamed maximalist who knows that anticipation is half the magic. And let’s face it, you don’t want to anger these cultists. These people have been ready since Labor Day. Deny them Little Advent, and they’ll summon a wreath circle, chant Michael Bublé lyrics in Latin, and demand tribute in figgy pudding.
Ways to observe
(A) Low effort
Treat yourself to one gingerbread cookie, crank up a single Christmas song, and smile knowing you’re getting ahead of the holiday spirit.
(B) Recommended
Step into the holiday season by playing a short Christmas playlist (not the whole catalog yet!) and enjoying a casual stroll through a festive outdoor market or mall.
(C) High effort
Assemble a Little Advent pyramid of gingerbread cookies, starting with a base of five cookies and stacking smaller layers on top (4, 3, 2, 1). Decorate each cookie with festive icing, and gather friends or family for a cookie-pyramid-making contest.
Inspiration
If an alien were to ask me the meaning of Christmas, I wouldn’t start with theology or history. I’d describe it as a powerful, compound feeling. On the one hand, there’s this overwhelming sense of bounteous, unearned generosity. The spirit of Christ overflows into the material world in ways we’re incapable of matching (so we translate it into something we can understand, gift-giving). On the other hand, there’s the thrill of anticipation, of waiting for the hammer to drop on Christmas morning. The genius of Christmas, the reason it’s the greatest holiday, is that these two feelings don’t compete. They amplify each other. Together, they form a kind of perpetual motion machine, where the very act of waiting becomes a joyful occasion for more giving (which makes the waiting more joyful). Frankly, it’s a miracle kids don’t just explode. Throughout this book, I’ve tried to tap into that sensation by starting and restarting the countdown to Christmas. Little Advent is one of those moments, a mid-November ignition switch for the engines of seasonal delight. Even the cookie pyramid is a slow spiral of sweetness, each cookie a ceremonial step closer to the big day. Inspired by German Christmas pyramids (those candlelit, rotating towers from the Ore Mountains), the cookie pyramid captures the sense of layered excitement, of tiers that ascend toward something radiant. Not that we need an excuse to make a pyramid of ginger cookies!
Adornments
Watch
A Holiday Affair (1949)
A holiday romance hiding in plain sight. Janet Leigh plays a war widow torn between a steady fiancé and a charming stranger in a plot that hinges on a returned toy train and a Christmas Eve decision.
Elf (2003)
Still the gold standard for unbridled Christmas enthusiasm, this fish-out-of-water comedy follows Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole, as he journeys to New York City to find his real father.
The Thin Man (1934)
A stylish detective comedy that balances mystery with dry, urbane wit. When a former client goes missing, retired sleuth Nick Charles and his spirited wife Nora find themselves drawn into a complex murder investigation. The film blends quick banter, cocktails, and clues with effortless charm.
Listen
Cherry Tree Carol (traditional)
A folk ballad with medieval origins, narrating a miraculous moment between Mary and Joseph. The melody is simple and unadorned, often performed with minimal accompaniment.
Step Into Christmas by Elton John
A glam-era single released in 1973 with bouncing piano, layered vocals, and handclaps throughout. Written as a playful holiday anthem, it pairs well with decorating marathons.
Read
The Christmas Chronicles by Jeff Guinn
A fictional autobiography of Santa Claus, mixing historical events with Christmas mythology. Includes references to St. Nicholas and the logistics of toy delivery, presented in a diary-like format.
Eat
The Gingerbread Pyramid (Officially Sanctioned)
Build a stack of gingerbread cookies in descending layers (5–4–3–2–1). Each layer can be decorated or numbered, and eaten one cookie at a time. Add a message or miniature trinket under the base for flair.